Sign the Petition to

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Director Daniel M. Ashe

The results of the independent peer review of FWS's proposed rule to remove the gray wolf from the list of threatened and endangered wildlife are in, and reviewers unanimously agreed that FWS did not use the best available science in its decision to delist wolves. Below are just a few of the critiques provided by the reviewers:

-Science used by FWS contains significant interpretation errors, key omissions, and a selective use of evidence.
-FWS got the taxonomy and range of wolves all wrong: gray wolves may have lived in the Northeast, wolves of the Pacific Northwest are likely distinct from other populations, and Mexican gray wolves historically had a much larger range than FWS claimed.

In response to questions on the gray wolf delisting you once said "It's about science and you do what the science says". Clearly, the best available science does not provide a basis for saying that wolves need to be delisted. You now have an opportunity to follow through on your stated principles and those set in the Endangered Species Act, to follow the best available science, wherever it might lead, and to maintain protections for gray wolves until they are fully recovered. We urge you to rescind this proposed rule and allow gray wolves the protection they need to fully recover. Thank you for your consideration.

Signed,

Defenders of Wildlife

This petition closed 5 months ago

How this will help

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove Endangered Species Act protection for most gray wolves across the United States. This decision could forever change the future of gray...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to remove Endangered Species Act protection for most gray wolves across the United States. This decision could forever change the future of gray wolf conservation in our country.

Gray wolf recovery in the U.S. is not complete. These wolves face rabid anti-wolf politics, aggressive lethal control, unsustainable hunting, intolerance and other threats across the entire country, and haven't yet returned to suitable habitat in many parts of their historic range. By delisting them now, USFWS would be turning their backs on one of the best wildlife conservation stories in U.S. history before it's finished.

Please send an urgent message to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – demand that they withdraw their delisting proposal.